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Bear eludes death sentence By Mark Freeman Biologists failed Wednesday night to find and shoot a large black bear given a death sentence for its over-aggressiveness toward campers along a stretch of the Wild and Scenic Section of the Rogue River. After just one night in bear country, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife suspended its expedition into the lower Rogue Canyon to kill a bear considered a safety risk because of its bold campsite raids this summer. A "wildlife team" led by ODFW biologist Todd Confer camped in the area that has been closed to overnight camping by rafters, anglers and hikers, but the team never saw the offending bear. "There was very little bear activity, and there was no bear that could be identified as the culprit," said John Thiebes, the ODFW�s Rogue Watershed manager in Central Point. "There was no reason to harvest a bear, so they didn�t." Thiebes said biologists have no current plans to send in a second expedition into the area around Tate Creek in the bottom 10 miles of the river�s Wild and Scenic Section about 45 miles east of Gold Beach. But the safety concerns remain, and if the unruly bear crosses paths with humans again, more action could be in order, Thiebes said. The dilemma posed by the black bear has cut to the core of attitudes involving bears along this stretch of the Rogue known for its remoteness and natural beauty. For decades, the river corridor�s bears were off-limits to hunters because the bears� presence for tourists was considered a valuable asset. Some canyon lodge owners, rafters and fishermen routinely left food for these bears to draw them out of the remote forests and into view from lodge decks or campsites. But the practice has helped some bears associate humans with food, creating a potential for trouble. Bears have been known to raid campsites and tear open coolers of campers in the canyon�s lower 15 miles, and river managers have installed electric fences and tree hoists to reduce the bear�s predation on rafters� food. Yet one large bear, missing a common white patch of fur on its neck, has been so bold as to be unconcerned of campers� attempts to scare it away. River manages and ODFW biologists have tried to reverse the bear-feeding culture along the river. But Thiebes said biologists considered this one particular bear beyond rehabilitation. The agency does not trap and transplant trouble bears in southwest Oregon, so shooting it was the biologists� solution. "Our primary concern is for human safety," Thiebes said. "We are going to respond accordingly." Obituaries | Sports | Business | Classifieds | Tempo | Prime Times | So Oregon Sites | Outdoor Journal | Subscribe | Contact | Movies | Advertise | Real Estate Showcase | Archive | Editorials | Letters to the editor | Religion | Wake-up Call | NIE | Cyber Chef | Job Network | So Oregon Weather | WSJ Northwest | Forums | AP Wire | AP Money | F.A.Q. | Awards Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. The Community Newspaper Subsidiary of Dow Jones & Co, Inc Copyright �The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA